Sweet Dreams
by Satabria
Summary: Neville accidentally creates a potion that sends Hermione back in time. Cliche, its true, but the plot bunnies were relentless. Rating will increase.
1. A Horrible Day

As usual it had been a horrible day, or so thought Severus Snape. He considered most school days to be unpleasant, but this one had gone beyond the average to say the least. Today's culprit had been Neville Longbottom, which was hardly surprising considering the boy's talent for destroying anything he came within ten feet of. For some inane reason Dumbledore had required him to teach his seventh years the Sweet Dreams potion, an elixir that in Severus' opinion was third year work. One would have thought that the ease with which this potion was brewed would prevent Longbottom from botching it (if one had never observed in potions, ever); however, the brew was a colossal failure. Severus had unfortunately paused at Longbottom's cauldron to sneer at the bright pink color the potion had become when it exploded without warning. As Severus had been bent over the cauldron at the time he had caught the brunt of the disaster, along with Longbottom and Parkinson. A few other students had also been splattered with the thick mixture, which was a bright pink and smelled cloyingly of roses. It was the potion's odor that had put Severus into the foulest of moods, as the nothing he had tried had rid him of the sickeningly sweet smell. Even after five showers he smelled like a whore of the bargain variety.  
  
As if his newfound fragrance wasn't bad enough there was still the chance of adverse effects from the potion itself. Madame Pomfrey could not find anything wrong with Longbottom and his two victims but it would be several hours before they could be considered in the clear. Severus had bottled up the remains of the (highly) offending substance so he could examine it at a later date, as it resembled no potion he had ever come across. He was especially curious as to why it had exploded in the first case-it had exhibited none of the warning signs and had seemed stable before it erupted from the imbecile's cauldron. The incident posed an academic puzzle, and despite his anger and disgust with the Longbottom boy Severus' curiosity demanded that he study the substance further, odor or no odor. In fact he wished he could be studying the mystery potion right now, but he realized that further exposure to its fumes while still under the potion's influence could exacerbate its effects, whatever they might be. So instead he determined to go to bed early in an attempt to end this day as soon as possible. He had incarcerated Longbottom in the infirmary under Madame Pomfrey's astute observation; if the boy exhibited any symptoms the mediwitch would summon Severus and Pansy Parkinson to the infirmary. Severus certainly had no desire to spend his evening around students and had spared Parkinson a night under observation as well, not out of any desire to be considerate to the pug- faced girl but as a way to further punish Longbottom.  
  
So it was under these circumstances that Severus had foregone his usual nightly prowl in order to turn in early. He had a headache that had only gotten worse over the course of the day despite the headache- relieving potion he had taken this morning. He had been prevented from taking his desperately needed afternoon and evening doses for fear that they would interact with Longbottom's dubious creation. A sixth shower did nothing to improve either his mood or his aroma. Some of the potion had made its way into his nose, which had worsened his headache and was a real worry when one considered how easy it was for substances to enter the blood stream through the sinuses. He lay sprawled on his bed and tossed and turned until falling into a fitful slumber. He almost immediately began to dream, and in a manner most enticing. For a year now he had noticed the numerous charms of one Hermione Granger, and now he was having an extremely erotic dream about her. Dreams being what they are the constraints that would make such a relationship completely unthinkable were gone, and in his dreamscape he was young again and unblemished by his association with Voldemort. As he slowly slipped out of his dream state he whispered 'if only.'  
  
** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** **  
  
In the infirmary Madame Pomfrey watched as Neville Longbottom finally fell into sleep. Over the years the clumsy boy had wound up in the infirmary many times and she had become quite fond of him. He had a sweet innocence about him that reminded her very much of his mother. The matron also had a great deal of sympathy for Neville, both because of his parents fates and because she knew the woman who raising him in their absence. Lorena Longbottom was in a word 'scary', and Poppy theorized that it was Snape's resemblance to the strong willed witch that frightened Neville so. In fact there was some speculation that Lorena was actually the illegitimate daughter of Simeon Snape, Severus' great- grandfather. Poor Neville, to suffer the scrutiny of Lorena at home and of Severus at Hogwarts. Poppy sighed and smoothing the boy's brow settled in for a long night of observation, cursing Snape under her breath.  
  
Pansy Parkinson was also readying herself for bed, lamentably alone. Amongst the Slytherins she had a reputation for being desperately boy crazy. Outside the walls of Slytherin House her Slytherin fellows treated her well enough, but they gossiped about her mercilessly away from the eyes of the other houses. They tolerated her (somewhat) because her family was powerful and because they knew that Snape would flay them alive if they failed to show their House in a good light; he might not take away points from his own House but freely handed out horrendous punishments to those who offended his sense of Slytherin decorum. Amongst the serpents she was an object of much derision, but being Slytherins they mostly kept these jibes behind her back. Draco Malfoy paid court to her only to curry favor with her father. He was slated to marry her in order to join the powerful Malfoy and Parkinson dynasties, but planned to keep a mistress (or several) and to have relations with her only as long as it took to produce an heir. So far her had avoided any further intimacy with her than a kiss here and there and intended to keep it that way for as long as possible. He had just fended off another of her attempts to lure him to her bed by again feigning a deep fear of bring caught by Snape. Having once again escaped her clutches he beat a hasty retreat to his dormitory and for the lack of a better word 'hid'.  
  
Unaware of the activities of her classmates and Professor, Hermione Granger prowled the school concealed by Harry's infamous (and infinitely useful) invisibility cloak. She had lost track of time studying for the upcoming NEWTs (upcoming in eight months that is) and had missed dinner once again. Luckily Harry had noticed her absence and had left his cloak out for her so she could sneak food from the kitchens. This was actually becoming something of a routine in Harry and Hermione's seventh year, and the Head Girl was now extremely familiar with the route from Gryffindor Tower to the kitchens. She was therefore very surprised to see a new painting hanging in the corridor directly outside the kitchen. This corridor was generally populated with the most unpleasant of Hogwart's many paintings, such as the portrait of Flavius the Flatulent (he was actually a very important wizard of the eleventh century, but his many contribution to wizardkind were overshadowed by his unfortunate dietary choices and resulting gastric distress). Next to the offending artwork now hung a new painting, this one a class portrait from the looks of it. On closer inspection Hermione noted with shock that it was a depiction of the class of 1978, Harry's parents' graduating class. She found this development curious indeed, as Harry had explored the majority of the castle over the course of his academic career and had never mentioned a painting with his parents in it. She would have to tell him of its existence so he could have a chance to talk with his mum and dad. The painting was giving off the faint murmurs of student conversation, and Hermione leaned closer to hear and see better. There she saw Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, as well as a plump young witch who reminded her strongly of Neville, standing close together, whispering excitedly to one another and jostling each other playfully. They all waved merrily at Hermione and she grinned and waved back. The Slytherin contingent was decidedly more aloof, smiling arrogantly and merely acknowledging her presence with slight nods. Hermione was surprised to see a figure standing off to the side, not smiling but gazing back at her with an expression that was merely neutral. This must be Professor Snape as he was in his seventh year. She found his isolation to be very sad and reached out to smooth his hair. Suddenly she found herself being pulled through the painting, much the same way as Alice was pulled through the looking glass. 


	2. Disorientation

I just realized that I forgot to include a disclaimer with my first chapter. I will say now that I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters contained within (lamentable but true). I will not make any money from any stories I write that contain these borrowed characters, nor will I seek to. indicate thoughts.  
  
*************************************Disorientation*********** ***************************  
  
Hermione was pulled through the painting into a corridor that seemed to be exactly the same as the one she had just left, minus the class portrait. The sensation of going through the canvas had been quite similar to using a portkey and had left her somewhat disoriented. She noticed with a start that Harry's invisibility cloak had not come with her. Good job Hermione, you've just managed to lose the only thing Harry had that belonged to his father. She was especially angry with herself considering that she hadn't truly needed to be invisible-as Head Girl she was given enough leeway that going down to the kitchens after hours would not have gotten her in trouble, and she had only chosen to sneak down to the kitchens so she didn't seem to be taking advantage of the honor bestowed upon her. Everything around her was exactly the same as the corridor she had just left behind, except for the fact that the class portrait was gone. Writing the incident off as just another one of the interesting things that happen to you when you live in an enchanted castle Hermione continued to make her way down to the kitchens. Upon tickling the pear and thus opening the giant still life painting she was besieged by house-elves determined to cater to her every whim. This was somewhat unusual; the diminutive servants had cut Hermione a wide berth since the S.P.E.W. incident in her fourth year, although they still fulfilled her every request. The only house-elf that was ever happy to see her was Dobby, and he was nowhere to be found. She sat down at the erstwhile Gryffindor table to enjoy her tea and crumpets and wondered what was going on. Everything seemed ever so slightly different since her run-in with that painting. Although the house-elves could certainly have merely forgiven her and Dobby merely been busy, Hermione's experiences as Harry's friend had left her somewhat suspicious.  
  
After finishing her snack Hermione rose to put her dishes in the sink, which of course the house-elves would not allow her to do. She left the kitchens determined to get back to Gryffindor tower before any other odd things could happen. The halls were deserted and she managed to get to the portrait of the fat lady unnoticed.  
  
"Password, please" stated the Fat Lady, who was looking at Hermione as if she had never seen her before despite her six full years of residency, not to mention her two as a prefect. "Vini, Vidi, Vici" she replied, much to the doorkeeper's disdain. The Fat Lady puffed herself up and said "NO ENTRANCE" in a manner which booked no argument. Moments later Filch appeared on the scene without Mrs. Norris in tow. "A student out after hours I see, and without your house badge too. Thought you would avoid trouble for your house that way, did you? We'll just see about that." Filch was wheezing and grinning in a most unpleasant manner. The sight of his deplorable dental condition was always enough to make Hermione cringe, a reaction which Filch seemed to take for fear. Encouraged by his 'power' over her, he continued. "Dumbledore will finally let me bring me chains back out, he will. Such a filthy little trouble-maker as yourself needs to be taught a lesson." This was too much for Hermione to take and she instinctively puffed out her chest to emphasize her Head Girl badge. It was then she noticed that it was missing, along with her badge identifying her as a Gryffindor. Defeated she allowed Filch to push her along the route to Headmaster Dumbledore's office, deciding that discretion was the better part of valor. At least the caretaker was taking her to Professor Dumbledore, who would be the most likely person to help her determine what exactly was going on. She wondered why Filch wasn't taking her to Snape, who after all gave out the harshest punishments and therefore was his favorite of the teachers.  
  
Before long they had arrived at the Headmaster's office. Filch snarled "acid pop" and the gargoyle leapt aside, revealing the moving staircase. Professor Dumbledore was waiting for them as if he had been expecting them, which wouldn't have surprised her in the least. She was shocked when he turned to Filch and said "Who is this girl, and what was she doing that you brought her to me?"  
  
Filch replied "I found her skulking around outside the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. I don't know who she is, and I didn't know which Head of House to take her too 'cause she isn't wearing her badge. The little troublemaker musta thought that we couldn't take points off if we don't know what house she's in." At this point Hermione sobbed "Surely you recognize me Professor Dumbledore. We just had tea together last week. It's me, Hermione Granger." She then collapsed into one of the squishy armchairs that the Headmaster kept around his desk. "You may go now Mr. Filch," stated Dumbledore. The caretaker left the room, glaring at Hermione on his way out. She imagined that he resented not being able to witness her punishment. "Dear, it's obvious to me that you somehow do not belong here. I'm not sure why you think you know me, but I can assure you that this is the first time that I've had the pleasure of meeting you. Now why don't you tell me how you got here and we'll get you sorted out."  
  
Hermione was now completely out of sorts. Something strange was going on and Dumbledore seemed to have lost his quasi-omniscience. "But Professor, I was just going to the kitchens. I realize that I was up after curfew, but as Head Girl I'm allowed to be out after hours. You told me so yourself."  
  
"Once again I assure you that I haven't met you before. I've been at this school in one capacity or another for over 75 years now and I don't recognize you at all. Our current Head Girl is Lily Evans, and unless you've taken Polyjuice potion and taken an assumed name you are not she. Now what did you say your name is? Miss."  
  
Hermione blanched. Lily Evens had been Harry's mother's maiden name, and if memory served she had held the post of Head Girl for the class of 1978. Merlin, that was the year of the class portrait she had been pulled through. No, there was no possible way.but the pieces all fell together so well. She must have been pulled back through time. "Granger, sir. I can't believe I'm asking this, but could you please tell me the date, including the year?"  
  
"27 October, 1978." Dumbledore's eyes had begun to twinkle madly, which in Hermione's opinion was never a good sign. "I take it you think you might be in the wrong when as opposed to the wrong where." He sat down and began tapping his fingers on the desk. "Are you aware of the danger that your presence in the past poses? I understand the undeniable lure of time experimentation, but I believe I must ask you to hand over your time turner before you do any more damage"  
  
"Sir, I do not have a time turner, at least I don't any longer. I do understand the perils of time travel, and I did not do anything to send myself back in time. All I did was go to the kitchens for a snack, since I had studied all the way through dinner. Now all I want is to go to sleep and have everything go back to normal." She sunk back into the cushy armchair and covered her eyes with the back of her hand. This simply has to be just a dream. I'll just wake up and everything will be all better.  
  
"Come now my dear, I'm not going to be able to sort this out without your participation. Now tell me exactly what you were doing when things began to seem different, and I will see what I can make of it. You also should tell me when you came from, but do not tell anything about the future other than what you were doing that brought you here" Dumbledore stated warmly. He seemed more like the Dumbledore that Hermione was used to which caused her to relax somewhat. She took a deep breath and began her tale, starting at her trip down to the kitchens. "You say you were pulled through a painting? I've never heard of such a thing. I have heard of people being pulled into paintings, but not through them; however I do not feel like I am a painting so I'll take your at your word. I'm afraid I do not know how to remedy the situation, but I find that a cup of hot chocolate and a restful sleep can put a better complexion on things." He waved his wand and conjured two large mugs of steaming hot cocoa. He handed her one of them and smiled at her. "Your presence in the past, a past in which you have yet to be born by the way, is extremely volatile. You must not for any reason reveal the future to anyone here. The smallest changes in one's choices can profoundly affect the outcome of one's future in unpredictable ways. You might think that you are changing things for the better, but there might be repercussions that you could not possibly anticipate. Aside from not trying to change anyone's future you must be very cautious of the things you say."  
  
At this Hermione began to cry quietly. How could she look Harry's parents in the face and not warn them about Peter Pettigrew's deception? So many people from this time ended up broken, if not dead, at the hands of Voldemort. So much tragedy that she wanted to prevent, but was constrained from doing so by the paradoxes of time travel. She realized that she could essentially kill off her friends by saying the wrong thing. It was all too much to take, and it was all Hermione could do not to completely lose control.  
  
Dumbledore took her hands in his and began to speak quietly to her. "Now, now my dear. I believe you will feel my better after some rest. We will be much better able to deal with this if we are well rested. Fortunately I keep a suite of guest quarters off of this office, as well as a supply of Dreamless Sleep potion. Perhaps we will be lucky and time itself will take care of the problem for us." He pulled her up and ushered her through a door disguised by a full-length portrait of Helga Hufflepuff. "I believe you will find everything you need here. The wardrobe contains nightshirts and robes that will tailor themselves to you. You will most likely find a bath to be relaxing, and there is a variety of bathing potions stocked in the bath. Do not forget to take some Dreamless Sleep potion, as you will need to be as rested and collected as possible for tomorrow's discussion of your situation." He gave her a reassuring pat on the back and left her, closing the door after him. She went into the luxurious bathroom and took his advice, drawing a very warm bath perfumed with lavender oil. As she relaxed in the large bathtub it occurred to her that he must use these rooms for students who have received bad news or otherwise need privacy from the rest of the school. A quick inventory of the rooms yielded everything that she could possibly need for the night. The wardrobe contained all matter of clothing for both genders, and as promised the nightshirt and dressing gown she chose instantly fit themselves to her. She buried herself under the covers and took the potion for dreamless sleep. Sleep found her muttering 'please let this all be a dream'.  
  
***********************************Author's notes****************************************  
  
My sincerest thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. I had hoped to get this chapter posted earlier but I found it much more difficult to write dialog than I had anticipated. I fear that the dialog still seems stilted, but I didn't feel that I could improve it in a timely manner so I posted it as is. Any offers to beta this story would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this story, and even more thanks for taking the time to review it. 


	3. Dawn

The usual disclaimers apply-the characters and background for this story belong to JK Rowling. I'm just taking them out for a quick spin. No profits will be obtained or sought in the writing of this story.  
*******************Meanwhile, In the Present******************  
  
The morning sun filtered dimly through the green-tinted windows of Slytherin House. Draco stretched and yawned, grateful for the lie-in afforded by the leisurely Saturday morning. In his groggy state it took him a full minute to realize the he was not in his own room. This room was decorated in the green and silver that characterized the Slytherin dormitories, but it lacked the masculine elegance found in Draco's private quarters (obtained and paid for by his father, naturally). No, to say that this room was monstrously gaudy would be a gross understatement. It seemed that no surface was left unadorned by ruffles, frills, lace, or tassels. Silver lamé was in abundance, and Draco counted at least four shades of green satin. He wondered what he could have possibly done last night to land himself in the bed of a witch with such abysmal taste in décor. In fact, Draco had never before awakened in a witch's bed, as he always insisted on using his room so he would maintain the upper hand (a trait instilled in him by his father). He had never before awakened without his green silk pajamas before either, but this morning found him utterly naked. The witch in question lay in a heap of satin sheets (heavily ornamented in ruffles and silver lace, of course) with her back towards him, a tangle a dishwater blonde curls upon her pillow. Draco was calculating his odds of escaping unnoticed when the girl woke and turned to face him, revealing the smiling and unappetizing countenance of Pansy Parkinson.  
  
***  
  
The dawning morning was kinder to Severus Snape, at least initially. He woke up warm and cozy in his own luxurious bed after a night of amazingly erotic dreams featuring Hermione Granger. He had been greatly disturbed when he had initially noticed his student in this way several months ago, but had gradually come to accept the situation. She was after all seventeen and had been considered to be of age for a full year by the wizarding world. In fact the magical age of consent had been the onset of menses until Albus Dumbledore successfully lobbied to have it raised to sixteen in 1957. Student/teacher relationships were not prohibited by the Hogwarts charter, though they were heavily discouraged by the current administration. All that mattered little to Severus; the deciding factor in his mind was the fact that he would in no way act upon his affections until after Miss Granger's graduation. To be completely honest he would most likely never approach the girl romantically, as he had never seen any wisdom in seeking out rejection. He allowed himself to fantasize about her, categorizing the relationship as an enjoyable fiction. It was, after all, the only sort of relationship he would ever be likely to have.  
  
Severus replayed last night's fantasies in his mind, enjoying his respite from the students. In his latest dreams Hermione was a goddess, and a rather passionate one at that. Past escapades had featured her in a variety of roles-naïve virgin, bawdy whore, and just about everything in between. He was in the midst of revisiting his favorite segment when a blood-curdling scream from the Slytherin dormitories broke him from his reveries. Immediately he jumped from his bed and dashed through the door that connected his quarters to the Slytherin common room, barely taking the time to throw on his dressing gown. Just as he stepped through the door Draco Malfoy sprinted past, screaming at the top of his lungs and clad only in a bedsheet. A horrifyingly frilly pea green bedsheet. With silver lace. And tassels. Severus was about to follow Malfoy to ask him the meaning of this unusual behavior (at least he hoped it was unusual) when he noticed that the students lounging in the common room were staring at him rather than the fleeing naked boy. He turned to a full-length Cheval mirror and noticed to his horror that he was not wearing his usual nightshirt under his dressing gown. Instead the full green skirts of a woman's robe brushed the floor. A fox-fur stole graced his neck looking for very much like a bushy untied ascot. The outfit was completed by a rather tatty hat featuring a moth-eaten vulture. Later he would wonder how the hat had managed to stay on his head in his rush into the common room. Internally admitting defeat, he glared at his charges and stalked back into his quarters, slamming the door behind him. The common room (predictably) broke into gales of laughter as soon as the curiously attired Head of Slytherin was safely out of sight.  
  
***  
  
Harry Potter stood before the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office, searching his memory for the current password to the Headmaster's Office. He remembered it was 'treacle toffee' and muttered the name of the sweet to the stone guardian, gaining entrance to the moving staircase. Dumbledore opened the door before Harry had a chance to knock, which wasn't at all surprising considering the elderly wizard's seeming omniscience. "Sherbet lemon, Harry?"  
  
"No thank you Professor. Actually, I came here because I am worried about Hermione. Ron and I can't find her. We were supposed to meet early this morning for a revision session in the library and she never showed up. She's not in her room and Madame Pince said she hasn't seen her since she evicted her last night. Nobody in the Gryffindor common room has seen her since yesterday either."  
  
"Well it's certainly not like our Miss Granger to be tardy for an appointment, especially a revision session. Do you have any idea what she might have been doing last night after the library closed?'  
  
"She has been borrowing my invisibility cloak to get food from the kitchens quite a bit lately, whenever she revises through dinner. Last night she missed dinner again so I left the cloak out for her. It was gone this morning."  
  
"Why does Miss Granger use your invisibility cloak when her status as Head Girl allows her to be out of the dormitories after curfew."  
  
"She doesn't want to appear to be abusing her Head Girl privileges, sir."  
  
Dumbledore opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead cocked his head to the side as if listening for someone. "And here comes Mr. Weasley. I wonder if he has any information for us.'  
  
"Good Morning Headmaster. Harry, I found this beside the portrait of Isadora the Irksome" said Ron, holding out the invisibility cloak. Hermione's Head Girl badge was nestled inside it.  
  
"Mr. Potter, as Head Boy I want you to round up all the prefects and begin searching for Miss Granger. Mr. Weasley, I would like you to assist in the search, as you two are most familiar with her habits. I myself will call a staff meeting and instruct the professors to search as well. Thank you for bringing this to my attention".  
  
Harry and Ron exited the Headmaster's office, breaking into a run as soon as they reached the bottom of the moving stairs. They barreled past the Potions Master as he made his way the Dumbledore's office. Snape bellowed at them to stop but they merely kept running, so he contented himself with taking twenty-five points from Gryffindor apiece. Scowling, he continued his on his way to confront Albus with the prank that he believed had been perpetrated upon his person. The icing on the cake had been the large red handbag that he found in the middle of his massive bed, quite visible since the house-elves had popped in to make the bed while he had been occupied in the Slytherin common room. Severus considered the incident to be quite serious, as he was certain that it had cost him a measure of the authority he held over his charges. This was perhaps more serious within Slytherin than the other Houses, as politics was and had always been of paramount importance among the Serpents. It had taken Severus a good many years to establish his power over the students entrusted to him, and he intended to remedy his potential loss of influence before it got any worse.  
  
Severus entered Dumbledore's office, the expression on his face most unpleasant. "Ah, Severus, just the man I wanted to see. But then, perhaps not" said Dumbledore, taking in the younger man's scowl.  
  
"Albus, I must inform you that I have just now fallen victim to a prank reminiscent of the Weasley twins. In their absence I suspect it was the youngest Weasley boy and his leader, Potter. I have, in fact, just had the occasion to take points from Gryffindor on their behalf, since they were speeding through the halls without regards to the safety of the other inhabitants of this castle."  
  
"I'm afraid that you will have to return those points to the two boys, Severus. They were on a mission that I assigned them, and their speed in carrying it out is to their credit."  
  
"What on earth could be so important that it necessitates them running through the halls at such a breakneck pace?'  
  
"It seems that Miss Granger disappeared at some time between the closing of the library and breakfast time this morning. Mr. Weasley found her Head Girl badge, along with the cloak she had been wearing"  
  
"Potter's invisibility cloak I'm sure. Why does it not surprise me that the Granger chit should turn up missing? She and the Potter gang are always sneaking about out of bounds. It was only a matter of time before one of them got into trouble. I expect that she'll turn up in some boy's bed."  
  
"Severus, that was most uncalled for. Miss Granger has done nothing to impeach her character. You know as well as I that as Head Girl she is allowed more freedom that the rest of the students, excepting the Head Boy of course. I believe this matter is most urgent, especially in light of the dreams I had last night."  
  
"I did not realize that you put much credence on dream divination, sir."  
  
"The dreams I had last night involved Miss Granger turning up in 1977 Severus. I'm inclined to categorize them as recently acquired memories. Can you think of any reason that our Head Girl would be sent back in time 20 years?"  
  
"Have Minerva and yourself seen fit to provide her with another Time Turner?"  
  
"We have not. Since her third year experiences Miss Granger has been most reluctant to be anywhere near a time-travel device. If she has been set back in time it is not of her own volition, I assure you. The girl is most aware of the dangers of visiting the past. Now if you would be so kind as to excuse me I must call a staff meeting and organize a search, though I fear the effort will prove futile. Please go to the Staff Room and await your colleagues. I'm afraid we will have to discuss your prank at a later date. And I would advise you to remove that makeup."  
  
"Yes Headmaster." Severus stalked out of Dumbledore's office, scowling furiously. It seemed he would do well to improve the lighting in the dungeons. 


	4. A hopefully Good Cover Story

The characters in this story still do not belong to me, no matter how pitifully I beg. They remain the property of J.K Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, and Warner Brothers. My deepest appreciation goes out to everyone who has reviewed so far.  
  
I apologize for taking so long to post this chapter. My only excuse is that I had to take some time to analyze where this story was ultimately headed.  
  
Lovestruckbyanelf- yes this will eventually be a Severus/Hermione fic, but I have not yet decided how romantically involved they will get. I have no plans to put sexually explicit material in the main body of the fic. If I decide that on-screen sex is called for I will post it as a separate chapter so anyone who does not wish to read it can still enjoy the story.  
  
((((((((((((((( 1977 (((((((((((((((  
  
Morning dawned bright and early the next morning. Hermione awoke slightly disoriented, very surprised to be in a bed not her own. She recalled last night's events with a sense of dread. Just how was she supposed to get back to her own time? It was then that she noticed a large bright red bird sitting on the bedside table. "Why, hello Fawkes." The phoenix trilled at her and bent down to pick up a piece of parchment, dropping it onto her lap before flying through the window.  
  
Dear Miss Granger,  
  
I hope this morning finds you well. Please join me for breakfast in my office. We need to discuss how best to handle your situation, and I for one find things easier to sort out on a full stomach. You should find that the guest quarters contain everything you might require.  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
He was as good as his word. The room contained all the necessary toiletries, and she had already selected a very fetching set of blue robes before retiring last night. They fitted themselves to her quite nicely when she put them on, and she noticed with a smile that the color changed just slightly to suite her coloring. 'Leave it to Professor Dumbledore to think of everything.' She entered the office to find him sitting at a small table with a large English breakfast spread out before him. Rising, he pulled out her chair for her and helped he be seated before sitting back down. "Please tuck in Miss Granger. I hope you will find everything to your liking." He then began to fill his plate as well. They engaged in idle chitchat through the course of the meal, but all too soon it was time to discuss more serious matters.  
  
"Headmaster, do you have any ideas on how to return me to my rightful time?"  
  
"Not yet my dear, although I can assure you that I will not rest easy until we have rectified the situation. Until then I imagine you will want to continue with your coursework, so I imagine our best course of action would be to enroll you into the school. Luckily as Headmaster I can create a file for you and not have anyone question your lack of a transcript. Since we cannot make it common knowledge that you are from the future we will have to create an identity for you."  
  
It took quite a bit of concentration on Hermione's part to keep herself from panicking. She wasn't good at lying, and it seemed her existence here was going to be a deception. Unfortunately she didn't have much in the way of choice. "Am I going to have to take an assumed name as well?"  
  
"I'm of two minds in the matter. On one hand it would be beneficial in the future for people to know what happened to you; however, that knowledge might cause negative repercussions as well. I would suggest that we give you a different identity for now and selectively tell people the truth only if necessary. For now my knowledge should be sufficient, as I will add these memories to my pensieve for future reference."  
  
"Sir, I'm afraid that I find all of this overwhelming. I don't know if I'm going to be able to keep up this pretense. What if I fail and alter the future?"  
  
"Miss Granger, I'm going to be blunt and tell you that your mere presence here will alter the future. Our job is to keep that influence to a minimum. No one really understands time travel and it's repercussions. We will simply have to do our best."  
  
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((  
  
After much discussion it was determined that Hermione would now be Miss Persephone Gardner. She was a transfer student from the Salem Witches' Academy in Massachusetts, America. Her mother was an American squib who had married a British muggle. She had been raised in England until her parents' death, when she had gone to live with her American grandmother, who was a witch. Persephone had been granted her wish to transfer to Hogwarts after she turned eighteen and had legally become an adult. Dumbledore cast a charm on Hermione that gave her a slight American accent. This charm would wear off gradually, giving the appearance of her native British accent returning. The Headmaster felt that this cover story would explain why nobody had ever heard of her family, and placing her schooling in America would hopefully prevent inquiries about her past teachers and classmates. She was to make her debut tonight at dinner when she would be (re) sorted. Since today was a Saturday she would have all day Sunday to get settled before having to start her classes.  
  
Hermione ardently hoped to be placed in either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. She was far to aware of the fates which awaited many of the Gryffindors in her new year and felt that avoiding them as much as possible would be the best policy. Slytherin she dismissed out of hand as a possibility. Seventh years were allowed to work part time in Hogsmead and Dumbledore had set her up with a position working at the bookstore six hours a weekend. This would allow her to earn some pocket change, as she had no parents to provide her with an allowance. The kind professor had also provided her with the requisite uniforms and supplies. She had promised to pay him for these as soon as possible, but he would hear nothing of it. "You did not choose to visit the past Miss Gran.Gardener. Fate seems to have brought you here and I'm afraid you have no choice but to accept my assistance. It pleases me to help you in any way I can." Hermione retreated into the guest quarters to spend the hours before dinner reading her new set books.  
  
All too soon it was time to brave the Great Hall and all of her new schoolmates. Hermione truly hated being on display, and being sorted alone in front of the entire school was just about as visible as possible. Her first sorting had not been bad because all the first years were being sorted as well. Being announced as Head Girl had been uncomfortable but mercifully quick. When she entered the Great Hall Professor McGonagall, who looked significantly younger than the mentor Hermione knew from her proper time, was waiting with a stool and the Sorting Hat. Dumbledore stood and announced, "I am happy to introduce a new seventh-year student, Miss Persephone Gardener. She has just now transferred from Salem Witches' Academy in America, and undoubtedly she will be an asset to our fine school." There was a short round of applause as Hermione made her way up to the stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall plopped the hat upon Hermione's head and began mentally chanting "not Gryffindor, nor Gryffindor". The hat seemed to muse for a while before stating "You certainly are intelligent enough for Ravenclaw, loyal and hard-working enough for Hufflepuff, and cunning enough for Slytherin; however, your most prominent asset is courage. Despite your objections I have to say GRYFFINDOR." When the Gryffindor table broke into loud applause she realized that the last word had been spoken, no shouted, aloud and that she had been irrevocably placed into the House she had wanted to avoid as much as possible. Trying to appear pleased she stepped down and went to take her place at the Gryffindor table. Her new housemates immediately surrounded her and began introducing themselves, and she schooled her face into a neutral expression as she met Lily Evans and James Potter. 


End file.
